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Church to install senior pastor

The public is invited to the installation of the Rev. Mark McIlraith at Lake Grove Presbyterian Church at 4 p.m. on Oct. 7. McIlraith will be the 12th senior pastor at the 93-year-old church, and Saturday's installation will be the first there in nearly 28 years.

The Rev. Earl Palmer, McIlraith's first pastor, will deliver the installation sermon. Palmer has served in pastoral ministries at University Presbyterian Church in Seattle, Union Church in Manila, First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley and the National Presbyterian Church in Washington, D.C.

Palmer will be joined by two representatives from the Presbytery (the governing organization of Presbyterian churches) — the Rev. Hugh Anderson, co-executive presbyter of the Cascades Presbytery; and the Rev. Keith Tanis, former executive presbyter of the Olympia Presbytery.

The service will also include Presbyterian leaders, pastors, elders, the 100-member church choir and bagpipes. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall at the church, which is located at 4040 Sunset Drive in Lake Oswego.

McIlraith moved to Lake Oswego in August from California to become the senior pastor for one of Lake Oswego's oldest churches. A graduate of Princeton Theological Seminary, he earned his Ph.D. from Gonzaga in leadership and preaching. He's joined at LGPC by his wife, Paige, and their three children. Aiden is attending Whitworth University; Kenna is in high school and Lilian is in elementary school.

McIlraith describes his journey into preaching as a time for joy and freedom through God's word.

"I have a passion for engaging theology and spirituality," he says. "They are woven together. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to serve this community."